Herbal medicine is the medicine of the people. It
is simple, safe, effective, and free.
Our ancestors knew how to use an enormous variety of plants for health
and well being. Our neighbors around the world continue to use local
plants for healing and health maintenance. You can too.

Learning About Herbs

Information on herbs and their uses has been passed down to us in many
ways: through stories, in books, set to music, and incorporated into
our everyday speech. Learning about herbs is fun, fascinating, and easy
to do no matter where you live or what your circumstances. It is an
adventure that makes use of all of your senses. Reading about herbal
medicine is fascinating, and a great way to learn how others have used
plants. But the real authorities are the plants themselves. They speak
to us through their smells, tastes, forms, and colors.

Anyone who is willing to take the time to get to know the plants around
them will discover a wealth of health-promoting green allies. What stops
us? Fear. We fear that we will use the wrong plant. We fear poisoning
ourselves. We fear the plants themselves.

These fears are wise. But they need not keep us from using the abundant
remedies of nature. A few simple guidelines can protect you and help
you make sense of herbal medicine. This series of short articles will
offer you easy-to-remember rules for using herbs simply and safely.
When you have completed all eight parts of this series, you will be
using herbs confidently and successfully to keep yourself and your loved
ones whole/healthy/holy.